slides for Oct5

1. MIDTERM GRADES
• LAB ASSIGNMENTS (40%)
• NEWSCAST ANALYSIS (20%)
• TEST 1 (40%)
REPORTED TO REGISTRAR BY OCTOBER 10, 2018

3. WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
• HOW TO CONTACT SOURCES
• HOW TO INTERACT WITH YOUR SOURCES ON-SITE (WITH A VIDEO CAMERA)
• HOW TO OPERATE DURING AN INTERVIEW
• WHAT IS MEDIA RELATIONS?
• WHAT IS A PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICER?
• DO YOU NEED TO FORMALLY REQUEST AN INTERVIEW WITH A SOURCE AT UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA?

4. REQUESTING THE INTERVIEW
1.WHAT YOU SAY IN THE INITIAL E-MAIL
REQUEST FOR AN INTERVIEW MAKES A HUGE
DIFFERENCE!
• EXPLAIN WHAT YOUR STORY IS ABOUT
• OFFER SOME POSSIBLE TIMES FOR AN INTERVIEW
• BE SURE TO EXPLAIN THAT YOU ARE DOING THE
INTERVIEW ON CAMERA (FOR A CLASS
ASSIGNMENT)
• INCLUDE YOUR DEADLINE (BACK IT UP ABOUT 48
HOURS BEFORE THE ASSIGNMENT IS DUE)

5. IF YOU DON’T RECEIVE AN E-MAIL RESPONSE,
BE READY TO PICK UP THE PHONE
COLD CALLING IS PART OF BEING AN
ELECTRONIC NEWS OR SPORTS REPORTER

6. Be ready to leave a message if you get a voicemail or
the person is not in.
Give your name and what your story is about
Phone number where you can be reached
Tell him/her your deadline
Identify yourself, your purpose for calling, note that
you’re following up on an e-mail request to interview
him/her ; Go ahead and give a time (within 24-48 hours)
when you want to do the interview
BE READY for him/her to decline; Have your “second
request strategy” ready
Scenario 2: You get voicemail
Scenario 1: The source answers

7. BEFORE YOU TURN ON YOUR CAMERA
•EXPLAIN WHAT YOUR STORY IS ALL ABOUT (REFER BACK TO THE ITEMS IN YOUR
PITCH TO YOUR LAB INSTRUCTOR)
•GO OVER YOUR QUESTIONS AHEAD OF TIME WITH THE SOURCE-- SO THAT HE/SHE
CAN HAVE IN MIND WHAT HE OR SHE WILL SAY WHEN ASKED ON-CAMERA
(REMEMBER: THIS IS NOT YOUR ATTEMPT TO MAKE THE SOURCE LOOK BAD)
•ASK HIM/HER IF THERE’S ANYTHING HE/SHE WOULD LIKE TO MENTION OR EXPLAIN
THAT YOU DIDN’T HAVE IN YOUR ORIGINAL LIST OF QUESTIONS
•NOW-- ASK HIM/HER IF HE/SHE IS READY FOR YOU TO START RECORDING

8. DURING THE INTERVIEW
START WITH THE BASIC QUESTIONS
 SPELL YOUR FIRST AND LAST NAME,
 TITLE
 TELL ME ABOUT YOUR ORGANIZATION OR OFFICE
 WHAT DO YOU DO HERE AT ……….?
THEN GET TO THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS YOU NEED TO ASK
DURING THE INTERVIEW, DON’T JUST SIT THERE. TAKE GOOD NOTES
ABOUT KEY POINTS THAT ARE MADE
(LISTEN IN YOUR HEADPHONES FOR WHETHER YOUR AUDIO IS
GOOD)

9. SOME PR TERMS TO KNOW
• PUBLICS- INTENDED READERS, WATCHERS, LISTENERS UNITED BY COMMON INTERESTS, CONCERNS AND
MOTIVATIONS
• PUBLIC RELATIONS- MANAGEMENT OF COMMUNICATION BETWEEN AN ORGANIZATION AND ITS PUBLICS
(INTERNAL- WITHIN; AND EXTERNAL- OUTSIDE)
• MEDIA RELATIONS- BRIDGE BETWEEN NEWS MEDIA AND THE ORGANIZATION; BALANCES NEEDS OF
ORGANIZATION (GETTING THE MESSAGE OUT) WITH NEEDS OF MEDIA (GETTING THE STORY)
• PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICER (PIO)- CHIEF COMMUNICATOR FOR GOVERNMENT AGENCIES TO MEDIA AND
OTHER KEY PUBLICS (CITIZENS)
• CRISIS- MAJOR OCCURRENCE WITH POTENTIALLY NEGATIVE OUTCOME THAT THREATENS STABILITY OR
EXISTENCE OF AN ORGANIZATION (WEATHER, EQUIPMENT/HUMAN FAILURE, CRIME, LEGAL
ACTIONS/LAWSUITS)
• CRISIS COMMUNICATION- PLANNING, EXECUTING, MANAGING INFORMATION DURING A CRISIS SO AS TO
PROTECT ORGANIZATION’S IMAGE

10. PR PRACTIONERS CAN
HELP YOU FIND
SOURCES
• CAN BE A GOOD FIRST STEP IN HELPING YOU FIND SOURCES
• MANY ORGANIZATIONS HAVE A LIST OF EXPERT CONTACTS
EXAMPLE– UA
• THIS IS A PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITY FOR MANY IN PR WHY IS THIS
GOOD FOR AN ORGANIZATION?
• BUT THIS TECHNIQUE HAS LIMITS
YOU WANT A DIVERSITY OF OPINION
YOU NEED “NON-OFFICIAL” SOURCES, TOO

11. PR PEOPLE YOU SHOULD KNOW
LESLEY
BRUINTON

12. PR PEOPLE YOU SHOULD KNOW
DANIEL
SPARKMAN

13. PR PEOPLE YOU SHOULD KNOW
DEIDRE
STALNAKER

14. WHAT YOU SHOULD DO NOW
•BECOME FAMILIAR WITH YOUR LOCAL PIOS, SPOKESPEOPLE AND MEDIA
RELATIONS PROFESSIONALS FOR DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS
•BUILD RELATIONSHIPS WITH PUBLIC RELATIONS PROFESSIONALS.
•KNOW HOW TO WORK WITH STRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS AT
UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA

17. POINTS TO UNDERSTAND
•YOU DO NOT NEED TO USE THE REQUEST FORM TO INTERVIEW UA FACULTY MEMBERS
OR STUDENTS
•UNDERSTAND THAT SOME UA STAFF MEMBERS ARE NOT ALLOWED BY THEIR
SUPERVISORS TO SPEAK TO THE MEDIA ON BEHALF OF THE UNIVERSITY
•DO NOT WAIT UNTIL THE LAST MINUTE TO MAKE REQUESTS FROM STRATEGIC
COMMUNICATIONS FOR INTERVIEWS OR INFORMATION

18. REMINDERS & OBSERVATIONS